College Resources

Conquering Your Final Exams

Every day the temperature rises a few degrees on the thermometer. You look out the window and see flowers in full bloom. Baseball season has even begun in earnest. And you’ve finally reached WWII in your history class. These are all signs that summer is quickly approaching. All that stands between you and that sweet, sweet beach vacation are a few pesky finals.

We know it’s been a long year but it would be a shame to slack now. Here are a few tips to help ensure a successful finals period:

Begin looking over your notes now. Final exams certainly cover a lot of material. If you start early, you’ll be able to review at a leisurely pace; waiting until the night before an exam will likely lead to stress, anxiety and a lack of confidence.

Make flash cards. Flash cards are a fantastic test prep tool. For starters, you review the information as you create the cards. Moreover, once completed, you have a mobile study device that you can break out any time you have a free moment. Even better, you can share them with friends and have an instant study date.

Form a study group. Study groups are a great way to make homework more palatable. You can trade notes and compare strategies with friends. Additionally, you can help each other master difficult concepts. And really, it’s hard to beat the combination of socializing and productivity!

Get a good night of sleep. We know how tempting it is to stay up late texting with friends and uploading videos to Vine. After all, it’s your way of unwinding following a long day. However, you should aim to get a good 7-9 hours of sleep the night before your exams. You want to be firing on all cylinders. If you’re sleep deprived it will be harder to recall information and you’ll be more prone to making sloppy mistakes.

Don’t rush through the test. We understand there are a million activities you prefer over taking an exam. However, don’t charge through the test in the hopes of leaving the room as quickly as possible. And don’t let confidence or cockiness convince you that it’s okay to breeze through either. The strongest and smartest students can easily trip themselves up by making careless errors.

Relax. Okay, we know for some students that that’s easier said than done. After all, finals do carry more weight than a regular test. However, panicking will only cloud your mind and cause you to second guess yourself. Instead, take a deep breath and trust that your test prep and smarts will carry you through. And remember that, ultimately, one exam will not irrevocably alter the course of your life.

Good luck and hang tight! You’ll be finalizing July 4th plans before you know it!